FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF MARCH 22, 1999:
We have these reddish-brown, moving specks on our windows. They’re about the size of a dot made by a fine-point marker and their front legs are much longer than the others. What are they?
They’re clover mites, says Bob Stoltz, University of Idaho extension entomologist–and they’ve probably spent the winter inside your walls. Mostly harmless feeders on lawns, spring flowers and early vegetables, clover mites are attracted to daylight and are looking for ways back outside.
"You can find hundreds of them gathered together on a window or spread across a window sill," says Stoltz. "Most of the time, they’re just a nuisance–although a whole bunch of them can overwhelm a new radish coming up."
He suggests simply vacuuming them up.
I’ve seen a lot of stories in the media about soy preventing heart disease. Is this claim true?
Research indicates that soy does indeed lower cholesterol levels and thus may reduce our risk of developing heart disease, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist. Some individuals who consumed 25 grams of soy protein daily and whose LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels originally exceeded 160 mg/dl were able to decrease those LDL levels by 10 percent. The Food and Drug Administration has proposed that soy product manufacturers be allowed to list this claim on their labels.
You can incorporate soy into your diet through soy milk (liquid and powder), tofu and tempeh. Soy milk is available in vanilla and cholocate flavors and in reduced fat or nonfat forms.
Tofu, similar to a soft cheese, tastes bland on its own but easily absorbs the flavors of other foods or ingredients, Raidl says. Try the firm/extra firm type in stir fries, soups and even on the grill. Add the medium-soft tofu to puddings, pies and cheesecakes and the silken tofu–with its custard-like consistency–to pureed or blended dishes.
Tempeh, a fermented product, is a mixture of whole soybeans and a grain, such as rice. The flavor of this tender, chunky cake of soybeans has been described as smoky, nutty or similar to mushrooms. Slice, grill or pan-fry it; grate it into a sandwich spread, or break it into chunks and add it to spaghetti sauce. You’ll usually find tempeh in the frozen food section; remove any mold before you eat it.
Spring floodwater seeped into our pantry. Is there anything we can salvage?
Very little, unfortunately, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety coordinator. Flood waters that have covered or even dropped onto foods can carry silt, raw sewage, oil and chemical wastes. Dangerous bacteria can hide under the edges of lids, seep into metal canisters or cloth bags, compromise paraffin seals and spoil whatever’s inside cardboard, cellophane or foil (even if those contents seem dry). Contaminants can even enter cans through weakened seams or seals.
All you can really salvage are commercially canned foods in undamaged metal cans that are not bulging, leaking, rusty or badly dented. And, you’ll want to sanitize even these cans before you open them. Here’s how:
First mark their contents on the can with permanent ink, since you’ll need to remove the potentially contaminated paper labels. Then, wash the cans with a scrub brush in a strong detergent solution, carefully cleaning around lids and seams. Rinse in clean water. Next, soak cans for 15 minutes in a solution of two teaspoons of 5.25 percent household chlorine bleach per quart of room-temperature water. Finally, air dry before opening. Use the same procedure for cleaning and sanitizing tableware, dishes and cookware.
If you’re sure your home-canned foods were not completely immersed in flood water and that the jar tops did not get wet, you can also sanitize and salvage those, McCurdy says. Use a stronger household bleach solution–1 tablespoon per quart–since you won’t be able to wash your home-canned foods as vigorously as commercial cans without compromising the seals.
Recently, I misplaced my wallet and went into a panic. It would have been nearly impossible for me to replace all the credit cards and documents I had in it, because I couldn’t even remember what I was carrying around! Fortunately, I found it–and immediately made a list.
What’s even easier is to simply photocopy everything that’s in your wallet, says Linda Kirk Fox, University of Idaho extension family economics specialist. Just place all those credit, membership, insurance and identification cards onto the copier and push the button.
Add to the photocopy the 1-800 numbers for reporting your credit cards lost or stolen. "Some businesses offer, for a fee, to make the phone calls to contact creditors if your cards are lost or stolen," Fox says. "But you have to do all the work of making the list of phone numbers anyway."